The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-15
ARMIES OF THE SWISS.

ARMIES OF THE SWISS.
THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN REPUBLIC
STRONG, IN. ITS gsoLDIERY. >,
She Could Probably Put 100000 Troops
in the Field to Defend Her Ancient
Freedom-A Country of Gymnasts nnd
Marksmen.
If one asks any well informed Switzer
whet show of arms his fatherlandsis pre-
pared to make in case of general Euro
pean war, the answer invariably is: owe
cur put well equipped army of 100000
men on the frontiers in ten days" This
means that about 7pcr cent of the popu-
lation of this little republic of 100000
people are prepared ut an hours notice to
spring to arms in its defense, and I see no
reason to question the assertion. During
the last twelve months, since the war
clouds have been settling down lower and
lower over central Europe, the Swiss gov
ernment has been keenly alert to the
progress of events, accurately informed in
regard to diplomatic negotiations, and
tirelessly active, even to the most minute
details, in preparations for the mainte-
nance of its traditional neutrality, in case
of tho hostilities which Mt times seemed
about to break upon Europe at moments
notice.
Under the Federal constitution every
able bodied Swiss citizen is liable to mill
tary duty from his goth to his 44th
year, his first twelve years in the
regular army, the last twelve in the re-
serve or Landwehr. There;is also Q third
+ corps known ass the Lanlsttrm; or, as
|. we might call TIA home guard, only IL
able in case of great emergency. and com.
posed of youths between II and 20,
and men between a. and 30 gears
of age. Each canton furnishes quo
tur Of troops, based upon its popq-
+ latfon, the :. aggregate regular force
amounting to ninety-siX battalions of in
fantry of ia men each, eight battalions
of sharpshooters of TO men each, twenty
four squadrons of dragons of 1874 men
each, forty-eight field batteries, eachnum-
bering 1G0 men, with six steel. rifled can
non of eighty-four millimeters caliber,
two mountain batteries and ten companies
of heavy artillerists.
rs TRAINING OF TIE SOLDIER.
The entire system is in many respects
Similar to our American militia, or M
tional guard organizations, with, how
ever, this difference, that here every able
bodied citizen is enrolled and becomes
liable on reaching his 20th year. He re-
ceives, free of charge, his weapon, equip
ment and uniform, which remain in his
personal possession during his whole term
Of service, being taken with him to his
home, and kept always within casy reach.
The training Of the Swiss soldier begins
with his early boyhood. At 10 years of
age, he commences gymnastic exercises
at the public school, attendance being
obligatory; at 12, drill with iron rods as O
substitute for guns; and at ID, shooting
at mark with species of bow gun, aro
added. At 16, company drill in the school
Of the soldier is introduced; and between
II and 18, the rifle is put into the youths
hands, and he Is thoroughly instructed in
Its care and! use. sA1l this is part Of his
regular school training and education.
His next instruction is acquired by
means of membership In some shooting
society, or schutzen yerein. In these
volunteer associations for Improvement in
marksmanship-and their name Is legion
lies, in the judgment Of many, the best
guarantee of the efficiency of Swiss troops,
and consequently the government encour.
ages them by paying liberal share Of the
powder and ball used In their incessant
practice. In return for this outluy the
government exacts that every citizen liab!e
for military duty shall fire off thirty bull
cartridges per year at a target. If he does
not do SO, as q member Of volunteer
schutzen vcrein, he must 60 into barracks
and do 1t, and time SO spent is not rcck-
oned on his account of compulsory mill
tary service, i. e., on his III days service
as an infantryman and SO on. For in
stance, during the year 1885 there existed
in this canton lZl,rich alone no less than
285 of these volunteer associations with n
membership of over II, 900 men, who mar
aged during the year tG shoot off rs many
as 312, 900 ball cartridges, the government
contributing the handsome sum of %, 9S5
francs toward covering the expenses in so
doing. And oil this in single cantoni
GYMSAsT AND MAHKsMAN.
And thus the Swiss youth, arrived at
his 20th year, and already a trained gym
mast, and a practiced marksman, proudly
reports for duty as q defender Of the be-
loved Fatherland, land goes into barracks
as recruit. If in the infantry, he remains
for forty-flyc days, in the cavalry for sixty
days and in the artillery for flfty-six days
and then returns to his home, taking his
arms, equipment and uniform with him.
The remainder of his barrack service is SO
distributed over his twenty-four years.
period of liability as to beSscarcely felt in
his ordinary civil pursuits. In the infant
ry he serves in all for III days, in the cav
airy 1873 and in the artillery 146 days-lur
ing the entire twenty -four years. II
Possibly Swiss troops may lack that me-
chanicaT precision Of drill which character
ICES the soldiery of their more military
neighbors, but their drill is, for all practi-
cal purposes, thorough and good enough,
while, in,an that pertains. toiphysical en-
durance, courage and craftsmanship,
they are probably unsurpassed by any
troops in the world. Another important
fact to be borne In mind is that every Swiss
soldier is thoroughly acquainted with his
weapon. tits no new arm thrust into his
hand when hostilities threaten; it has
been his companion and his reliance in
hundred friendly contests and he knows
and trusts it in the hour of danger as he
does his own right hand. New York Mail
and Express.
Toronto's "Black List" System.
Though little or nothing is now heard
Of the "black list,1,. system established
sabout two years ago by the Toronto smer-
chant tailors, the system continues in
force with very beneficial results to all
concerned The customers who have been
found by experience: to require watching
are entered under one OF the three heads,
dead beats, slow payers or those who pay
only on being sued. These lists are open
only to members OF the association. The
system has been the means of reducing
materially the losses Of merchant tailors
through bad debts. Chicago Times.
Making Slate Pencils in Vermont.
In the northwestern part of the town Of
Castleton, Rutland county, VT, Is the
only manufactory. In the United States OF
slate pencils. The stone as it comes from
the quarry is first sawed into blocks from
four to seven inches wide, according to the
length desired for the pencils. These are
split quite easily with chisel into slabs
little thicker than the finished pencils
.eo,y = IA ~ ON ipch.s Whosa Qra naSsedr